Blair accepts responsibility..
G20 aftermath: Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to seek permission to lay more charges
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair is seeking permission from the civilian police services board to lay more G20 misconduct charges against his officers.
“I’m quite confident we’ll get that permission and then we’ll proceed to hearings,” Blair told reporters at City Hall this morning as he was walking into a closed-camera session with the board. Just before that, Blair was speaking with Mayor Rob Ford’s chief of staff, Amir Remtulla.
Blair must get the permission of the police board because the six month deadline has passed. The board already gave permission for the chief to lay misconduct charges under the police services act against eight constables. Police union head Mike McCormack said about 28 or 29 front line officers are facing G20-related charges.
“I think the number is in the high 20s,” Blair said on Friday.
Blair said senior officers are facing disciplinary action as well. “There are, I believe, directed hearings against two serving senior officers,” he said.
Police hearings act much like a court of law, where officers have the opportunity to defend themselves against charges levied against them. If the charges are upheld, penalties range from docked pay to losing their jobs.
“There also was a finding with respect to two other officers that have retired and I no longer have jurisdiction over them,” said Blair, who did not name the high-ranking officers.
Two investigative reports from Ontario’s police complaints watchdog — obtained yesterday by the Star from complainants — concluded that three senior police officers committed misconduct at the G20 summit two years ago.
One officer is Supt. Mark Fenton, the commander who ordered mass arrests and the unlawful kettling at Queen St. and Spadina Ave. Fenton will now likely face a tribunal hearing because his misconduct has been deemed of a “serious nature.”
The other two senior officers are Supt. Michael Farrar and Staff. Insp. Frank Ruffolo, who were in charge of the prisoner processing facility on Eastern Ave.
The two reports by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) focus on the kettling and on conditions at the detention centre, which came under fire in the watchdog's scathing review of the G20 earlier this week.
None of the three has been charged under the Police Services Act. Ruffolo, however, is retired, according to a Toronto Police Services bulletin, and can't face disciplinary charges. Farrar retired two years ago, after the G20, according to an officer at 33 Division.
When the police watchdog deems an allegation of misconduct is substantiated, it means investigators believe there is enough evidence to prove that misconduct occurred. The chief then has a range of options available to him. They range from informal resolution to changing a procedure to disciplinary action against an officer, with or without a hearing, according to the OIPRD website.
When asked what his response would be to those calling for his resignation in the wake of a scathing systemic report released earlier this week by OIPRD director Gerry McNeilly, Blair said “I always accept my responsibility for the Toronto Police Service. My job is to ensure that if there were deficiencies in response to the G20 that we deal with that appropriately. And if there are changes to be made in our training, in our procedures, our equipment, in our policies, then that will be done. And there’s accountability.”
Blair added: “And I think as Mr. McNeilly indicated in his report the overwhelming majority of officers who were working in the G20 in Toronto did their jobs quite professionally, quite appropriately.”
He said that all of the 42 recommendations McNeilly listed in his report are being taken “very seriously” by the force. Many were listed in the Toronto police “After Action” report released last June.
The two investigative OIPRD reports focus on the kettling and on conditions at the detention centre, which came under fire in the watchdog's scathing review of the G20 earlier this week.
McNeilly found the Queen and Spadina report — which examined the arrest and boxing in of hundreds of people on the Sunday of the G20 weekend — substantiated the allegations of misconduct that Fenton “committed the misconduct of unlawful exercise of authority” and “discreditable conduct” when he “ordered the unlawful arrest and detention of a group of people in a severe rain storm that included thunder and lightning.”
There was also “clear indication” Fenton knew about the severe weather coming to Toronto and should have had a plan in place, the OIPRD report said. The report did not, however, substantiate allegations of discreditable conduct and excess force made against other officers.
In the prisoner processing report, McNeilly named Farrar, in charge of the facility on Eastern Ave. in the daytime and Ruffolo, who took over during the night shift. “As the most senior officers, they had the responsibility for the care and control of the prisoner,” said the report.
It went on to say “the lack of communication, direction, process and procedure at the PPC speak to the overall command and the inability to address the obstacles and issues that arose during the course of the G20 weekend.”
Allegations of discreditable conduct, neglect of duty and unnecessary force were substantiated against both officers. A further two allegations of discreditable conduct and neglect of duty was found to be substantiated against Farrar, who was also a member of planning team responsible for developing the operational plan for the prisoner facility.
Police spokesman Kevin Masterson confirmed the names of eight constables who have already been charged, and the dates of their hearings, which all take place in the next three months. Those officers, who have not yet had the chance to defend themselves, are: Vincent Wong, Blair Begbie, Alan Li June, Donald Stratton, Michael Kirpoff, Ryan Simpson, Jason Crawford and Michael Martinez.
Toronto News: G20 aftermath: Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to seek permission to lay more charges - thestar.com
G20 aftermath: Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to seek permission to lay more charges
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair is seeking permission from the civilian police services board to lay more G20 misconduct charges against his officers.
“I’m quite confident we’ll get that permission and then we’ll proceed to hearings,” Blair told reporters at City Hall this morning as he was walking into a closed-camera session with the board. Just before that, Blair was speaking with Mayor Rob Ford’s chief of staff, Amir Remtulla.
Blair must get the permission of the police board because the six month deadline has passed. The board already gave permission for the chief to lay misconduct charges under the police services act against eight constables. Police union head Mike McCormack said about 28 or 29 front line officers are facing G20-related charges.
“I think the number is in the high 20s,” Blair said on Friday.
Blair said senior officers are facing disciplinary action as well. “There are, I believe, directed hearings against two serving senior officers,” he said.
Police hearings act much like a court of law, where officers have the opportunity to defend themselves against charges levied against them. If the charges are upheld, penalties range from docked pay to losing their jobs.
“There also was a finding with respect to two other officers that have retired and I no longer have jurisdiction over them,” said Blair, who did not name the high-ranking officers.
Two investigative reports from Ontario’s police complaints watchdog — obtained yesterday by the Star from complainants — concluded that three senior police officers committed misconduct at the G20 summit two years ago.
One officer is Supt. Mark Fenton, the commander who ordered mass arrests and the unlawful kettling at Queen St. and Spadina Ave. Fenton will now likely face a tribunal hearing because his misconduct has been deemed of a “serious nature.”
The other two senior officers are Supt. Michael Farrar and Staff. Insp. Frank Ruffolo, who were in charge of the prisoner processing facility on Eastern Ave.
The two reports by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) focus on the kettling and on conditions at the detention centre, which came under fire in the watchdog's scathing review of the G20 earlier this week.
None of the three has been charged under the Police Services Act. Ruffolo, however, is retired, according to a Toronto Police Services bulletin, and can't face disciplinary charges. Farrar retired two years ago, after the G20, according to an officer at 33 Division.
When the police watchdog deems an allegation of misconduct is substantiated, it means investigators believe there is enough evidence to prove that misconduct occurred. The chief then has a range of options available to him. They range from informal resolution to changing a procedure to disciplinary action against an officer, with or without a hearing, according to the OIPRD website.
When asked what his response would be to those calling for his resignation in the wake of a scathing systemic report released earlier this week by OIPRD director Gerry McNeilly, Blair said “I always accept my responsibility for the Toronto Police Service. My job is to ensure that if there were deficiencies in response to the G20 that we deal with that appropriately. And if there are changes to be made in our training, in our procedures, our equipment, in our policies, then that will be done. And there’s accountability.”
Blair added: “And I think as Mr. McNeilly indicated in his report the overwhelming majority of officers who were working in the G20 in Toronto did their jobs quite professionally, quite appropriately.”
He said that all of the 42 recommendations McNeilly listed in his report are being taken “very seriously” by the force. Many were listed in the Toronto police “After Action” report released last June.
The two investigative OIPRD reports focus on the kettling and on conditions at the detention centre, which came under fire in the watchdog's scathing review of the G20 earlier this week.
McNeilly found the Queen and Spadina report — which examined the arrest and boxing in of hundreds of people on the Sunday of the G20 weekend — substantiated the allegations of misconduct that Fenton “committed the misconduct of unlawful exercise of authority” and “discreditable conduct” when he “ordered the unlawful arrest and detention of a group of people in a severe rain storm that included thunder and lightning.”
There was also “clear indication” Fenton knew about the severe weather coming to Toronto and should have had a plan in place, the OIPRD report said. The report did not, however, substantiate allegations of discreditable conduct and excess force made against other officers.
In the prisoner processing report, McNeilly named Farrar, in charge of the facility on Eastern Ave. in the daytime and Ruffolo, who took over during the night shift. “As the most senior officers, they had the responsibility for the care and control of the prisoner,” said the report.
It went on to say “the lack of communication, direction, process and procedure at the PPC speak to the overall command and the inability to address the obstacles and issues that arose during the course of the G20 weekend.”
Allegations of discreditable conduct, neglect of duty and unnecessary force were substantiated against both officers. A further two allegations of discreditable conduct and neglect of duty was found to be substantiated against Farrar, who was also a member of planning team responsible for developing the operational plan for the prisoner facility.
Police spokesman Kevin Masterson confirmed the names of eight constables who have already been charged, and the dates of their hearings, which all take place in the next three months. Those officers, who have not yet had the chance to defend themselves, are: Vincent Wong, Blair Begbie, Alan Li June, Donald Stratton, Michael Kirpoff, Ryan Simpson, Jason Crawford and Michael Martinez.
Toronto News: G20 aftermath: Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to seek permission to lay more charges - thestar.com
